Code Geass: A World Abandoned
by Nobodyman9
Summary: After a tragic geass accident that left Shirley crippled, Lelouch abandoned his quest to liberate Japan. Five years later, he returns with a recovered Shirley to reclaim the life he left behind and embarks on a new adventure. Lelouch/Shirley.
1. A Miracle

Authors Intro

Greetings and welcome everyone to my first Code Geass fanfiction. As you may be able to tell already this will be an AU fanfic of Code Geass and it will be very Shirlulu-based. Now, before we get into it I think it's very important that I explain the history behind this fanfiction.

This whole story is based off one of the many alternate endings to the Code Geass DS game. The ending in particular which I built this fic upon was an ending that took place during the Shirley/Mao arc of the first season in which, instead of Lelouch geassing Shirley to forget everything about him and Zero, he accidentally geasses her into forgetting about everything, leaving her brain dead. After which he devotes his life to taking care of her (sad, yes). Now, truth be told, I haven't actually seen actual full ending for myself, but I have heard descriptions of it, so I think I have the gist of it.

Anyway, while I was discussing this ending with a few of my fellow Code Geass fans I came across the idea of "what if Shirley was somehow able to make a miraculous recovery from the geass?" After all we've seen other people throughout the show resist and even conquer geasses (Nunnally) so why not Shirley? So I came up with this idea.

Also, keep in mind that this was originally just going to be a one shot composed of the first and possibly second chapter of this story. However, the little plot bunnies in my head started a-multiplyin' and so I eventually came up with the full story of this fanfic. So without further ado, I present to you Code Geass: A World Abandoned.

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Miracle**

It was a tranquil spring day around the isolated little cabin, and the sunshine brightly lit up its interior. Inside the modest, humble abode was a single white room. A room as white and clean and sterile as could be allowed for Shirley Fenette. She sat in the straightened, well-made bed with her upper body completely erect. Her eyes glassy and dead, unblinking; the rest of her body unmoving and unflinching. It had been five years since that fateful day.

_Don't worry. It's time to forget all the bad things that have happened to you._

_I can't._

_Yes, you can. I'll have you forget all the fuss._

_Impossible._

_Shirley, I'm sorry about your father. If I could be reborn into a new life, I would..._

_Lulu...don't....no!_

_Shirley, I command you to forget everything!_

And with that command she truly had forgotten everything. She had forgotten who she was, what she was, and had lost all sense of being, leaving her mind completely inert.

It was almost immediately after he had given the command that Lelouch realized his foolish mistake. His first emotions were that of shock and fear, and then, as he finally came to realize the reality and irreversibility of the situation, he was overcome with an immense feeling of dread and guilt. He had already brought enough pain on Shirley and had gotten her involved in a situation in which she had no business being in. And now she was a mindless vegetable. It was all too much.

There was a knock on the door.

"Shirley. I'm coming in."

The door opened, and through it walked in Lelouch who was holding a tray. The tray itself held a spoon, some napkins, and a bowl that contained Shirley's afternoon meal.

"How are you doing Shirley?" He walked over to the bed. "I brought strawberry apple sauce today. It's your favorite."

Of course Lelouch's courtesy of leaving the door closed and knocking before entering, as well as his very communication with Shirley, was purely a means of affection. Logically, it would make no difference whether or not he talked to her or what kind of conditions she lived in since she couldn't acknowledge it either way. But he couldn't do that. She was still human after all, and a very kind and loving one at that. Or at least she had been. To treat even her unconscious body without the proper care and respect of a normal person, to him, was unfathomable. Besides, she was all he had. She was the only thing he had to live for, ever since that fateful day when he left everything else behind.

It was a horrific sight. He saw her lifeless motionless body just lying there, and he knew it was entirely his fault. A storm of emotions bombarded his mind. He desperately tried to regain control and make sense of the mind-blowing circumstances surrounding him. It was then that he came to the shocking realization that his old life was over.

He couldn't bear it. He couldn't stand to go on. Even in spite of everything he had accomplished. Becoming Zero. Recruiting the Black Knights. Establishing himself as a viable threat to Britannia. None of that mattered now. He just couldn't continue with that life. Not after what he'd done.

He had decided, or rather he was forced, to leave it all behind. From then on it was only him and Shirley. He had abandoned everything else. He had abandoned the Black Knights. He had abandoned his life at Ashford. He had abandoned his contract with C.C. And worst of all he had abandoned his sister Nunnally.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Even in his emotional turmoil, he knew he couldn't leave his dear little sister to fend for herself. As a blind crippled outcast of her homeland she would never make it. Not to mention he thought the world of her. After recomposing himself he got out his cell phone and called the last person he would talk to before starting his new life with Shirley.

"_Hello?"_

"_Suzaku, it's me."_

"_Oh, Lelouch. What's up?"_

"_Suzaku, I need you to do me a favor."_

"_What is it?"_

"I need you to take care of Nunnally for me."

"_What do you mean Lelouch? What's going on?"_

_  
"I'm running away Suzaku. I can't ever come back."_

"_Lelouch, what are you saying? What's happened?"_

"_I've done something terrible. Horrible. And I can never go back to my old life."_

"_Lelouch, I don't what's going on, but you can't just…"_

"_Suzaku. Can you do it?"_

_  
There was a brief hesitation._

_  
"Well Lelouch, of course I'll take care of Nunnally, but…"_

_  
"Thank you. And…I'm sorry, but I need one more favor."_

"_What?"_

"_I need you to make it seem as if me and Shirley have died, and then tell everyone that needs to be told."_

"Shirley? What does she have to do with this? Lelouch, what have you gotten yourself mixed up in?!"

_Tears began to escape Lelouch's eyes._

"_Suzaku. Please. Don't ask me anymore. Just, please, can you do it?"_

_There was another brief hesitation._

"_All right Lelouch. I'll do it."_

"_Thank you."_

_He paused as he prepared to break off the final connection to his old life._

"_Goodbye old friend."_

"_Wait, Lelouch!"_

_He turned his cell phone off._

He wished he could have contacted more people before leaving. Mainly, he wished he could have contacted the Black Knights so that some sort of order and understanding could be made, perhaps establishing a new leader to take his place. But unfortunately he couldn't risk any further communication, lest his identity or his location be found out. So he took Shirley with him that day and left the others to their uncertain fates. He never knew what became of them and, truly, he didn't want to know. He just wanted to forget. But he did take solace in knowing that he had left Nunnally in very capable hands.

In reality, Suzaku had staged it so that it seemed that Lelouch and Shirley had died in a terrorist bombing with himself being the sole witness. After which, he told all the parties concerned and, per Lelouch's request, he took Nunnally to live with him, and he was every bit as caring and protective as her older brother. Lelouch would have been quite content to know, but Shirley was the only thing that concerned him now.

Lelouch sat himself next to the bed where he had fed her, talked to her, and performed several other tasks for her many times before.

"Be sure you eat it all Shirley, you have to keep your strength up. And if it stays sunny maybe we can go for a walk later today."

He placed the tray on the bed as he prepared to feed her. He took a small spoonful of applesauce with one hand and opened her jaw with the other. He gingerly brought the spoon to her mouth and emptied the contents inside, after which he reclosed her jaw and tilted her head back. After a few seconds he tilted her head forward again and prepared another spoonful. However, this task was short-lived as he noticed a trickle of red liquid streaming from the edge of her mouth. Lelouch quickly grabbed a napkin and brought it to her face as the applesauce began to dribble out of her mouth. It was not the first time this had happened.

Taking care of Shirley had proven to be an arduous task, but it was one that Lelouch found gave him meaning. Outside of the involuntary functions of her body, everything had to be done for her. He fed her, dressed her, and even bathed her. He had had experience taking care of Nunnally, but nothing compared to taking care of a girl who couldn't even keep a spoonful of applesauce in her mouth. But it could have been worse. At least she didn't choke on it this time.

There were some aspects he liked about it though. He enjoyed the time the two of them spent together, and since he controlled almost every aspect of her life and had to be sure she was always given the proper attention, it was assured that his mind was constantly occupied. There was also a certain sense of pride in knowing that this girl was entirely dependent on him and through his own sacrifice and commitment he had been able to keep her alive for five years. In spite of these small rewards and pleasures, however, he would have gladly taken it all back in a heartbeat.

The guilt was still there, giving him many sleepless nights with intense remorse as his only bedside companion. If only he had finished the sentence with "…about Zero" or "…about Lelouch." He had played the scene over and over in his head, hundreds of times over the course of five years, forever regretting that momentary lapse of judgment.

He finished wiping her face clean and threw the napkin into the nearby trashcan. He moved the tray to the end table. He sighed and looked at her. He felt so helpless.

"It's okay Shirley, you don't have to eat right now. You can eat when you're ready."

Tears began to well up in his eyes.

"You don't have to eat if you don't want. We can just talk. We can just enjoy each others company."

Clearly getting choked up as he spoke, he took a moment to recompose himself. He fought back the tears and the rising lump in his throat, as he tried to just have a normal conversation. He calmed himself and continued.

"Can you believe it's been five years Shirley? Five years, just the two of us." He paused and turned his head to look around the room. "We've had some good times, haven't we? I remember the first day I brought you here and it was so empty, and everything looked so neat and tidy. It was like we were given a fresh start and, well…"

He noticed the empty and sterile environment of the room.

"…Well, I guess it hasn't changed much."

He lowered his head. He took a long pause and a deep breath, and then continued.

"It was good back at Ashford, wasn't it? We had some fun times. I remember Rivalz and Nina and the Pres and all those crazy events she used to throw. We had it good there, didn't we?"

His hands began to tremble.

"I know you had some good times there. I know I didn't take much notice of you when we first met, but your cheerful laugh and your smile always seemed to brighten up the room."

Tears began to well in eyes again.

"I remember how you would always goof around. I remember that you were terrible at cooking and you were always so clumsy and awkward. But still, you were just so happy and you were always so much fun to be around. And I remember the day…the day you came to me with those tickets, like we would go out on a date, and…and…"

The tears began to fall.

In the whole five years they had been together, though he had talked to her about many other things, he had never once talked to her about the incident. He had never talked to her about her father's death, or about him being Zero, or her supposed murder of a Britannian soldier, or the hateful geass that he had placed on her. He didn't want to confront it. Like with everything else, he just wanted to forget. He couldn't face the reality of what he had done and wanted to bury it all under the new life he had created.

But it couldn't stay buried forever. The years had taken their toll on him and it was on this day, the fifth anniversary of the incident, that he found he could no longer deny the truth. His emotions were surging forth and, willingly or not, he was going to confront them. His emotions burst out in a force unlike anything he had felt in five years.

"I'm sorry!"

The tears fell from his face onto his lap.

"I'm so sorry!"

He leaned his arms on the bed for support.

"You were always such a kind girl. You were always there for me, and I took it for granted. Your bright smile always made me so happy. And then…it was gone. Your smile was taken away. And it was all my fault! I took everything away from you! I would do anything, _anything,_ to take it all back!"

He fell forward and sobbed into her lap.

"Please, Shirley I just want to see you smile again. Please, just once…just once."

In his flurry of emotions, he had let everything out. Five years of pent up emotional turmoil had all come gushing out like a geyser, and there was only one thing left to say. The one final emotion which he had to confront and he would finally be free. He spoke the words which, perhaps, he should have spoken five years ago.

"I love you Shirley."

And in that instant, something clicked. Deep down inside Shirley's consciousness, Lelouch's words had ignited a fuse, which led to a chain of events that were slowly reawakening Shirley's mind, all stimulated by a force even more powerful than the geass. The power of love. Her sense of being was slowly being restored, and suddenly it was as if a dark suffocating veil had been lifted.

She looked for an opening, anyway that she could escape the confines of her geass prison as she struggled to regain her mind. Although her body remained still, she was having a fierce battle inside her mind as she fought against the absolute power of the geass, her will being fueled by Lelouch's confession. Finally, she broke through and she became immediately aware of her surroundings.

For the first time in five years, Shirley spoke.

"……Lulu."

At first he wasn't even sure if he heard it. Or maybe he had just imagined it. He went dead silent, but then spoke.

"What?"

Her mind was still fuzzy. She was continuously trying to repel the geass, but she had regained enough sense to see and think. She forced herself through the suffocating haze and spoke once more.

"Lulu"

He heard her.

He immediately rose out of her lap to look at her. Stunned, he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Shirley. Shirley, is that you? Can you talk, Shirley? Can you hear me, Shirley? Can you hear me?"

Her mind continued to fight. The geass was relentless but so was she. She could see Lelouch and she knew what she had to do. Her mind struggled and struggled until finally she had broken through. The geass still claimed most of her senses and memories, but she had now reached where she was at least self-aware. She knew herself, she knew she was alive, she knew sight, she knew speech, and most importantly she knew Lelouch.

She smiled.

"Yes……Lulu."

It was then that Lelouch knew he was in the presence of a miracle. All he could do was just look at her. Look at her and her beautiful smile. As tears streamed down his face he was overtaken by a whole new wave of unbridled emotions, unlike anything he had ever felt in his life. He took her in a loving embrace. As his joyful tears continued to fall, Shirley began to release her own tears of happiness.

At that moment it was just the two of them. Two halves of a whole miracle. A girl who had persevered and survived and gained the will to break through a seemingly unstoppable force, and a boy who, upon facing his fears and his emotions, was able to break her free of a curse that had taken away her life. The two were together, and they let themselves soak in the joy and comfort of their sheer unity.

And it was the happiest moment of either of their lives.

* * *

Authors Notes

So, what'd you think? Well, if you liked it then aren't you lucky, cause you've got two more chapters to immediately follow up on =). Don't forget to review the story if you feel so generous as to do so.


	2. Return

**Chapter 2: Return**

It had been six months since Shirley had regained her self-consciousness, and ever since then Lelouch had never been so attentive to her. He was in her room practically every second of the day, leaving only to cook, clean and do other mandatory tasks around the house. He even slept in the chair next to her bed, despite Shirley's insistence that he sleep on his own bed so he could have a more comfortable night's rest. But Lelouch would hear nothing of it. It had seemed so hopeless for so long, day after day tending to the body of the once bright and cheerful girl that had made him so happy, and now that he was truly able to talk and eat and be with her again, he wasn't going to take a single second for granted. Besides, he had to help her through her very difficult healing process.

The geass was indeed an awesome yet horrific power. Even after Shirley had made her initial breakthrough, the geass was still present and continued to try to overtake her mind. Granted, there was nothing malicious in its nature. It was simply trying to fulfill and maintain the command that Lelouch had made all those years ago, as it was meant to. However, day by day, week by week, the geass's power had slowly and gradually begun to lose its dominance as Shirley's mind became more and more active.

Shirley was, unfortunately, still confined to her bed due to the fact that almost all the muscles in her body had atrophied from disuse over the five year period. However, the recovery of her mind and body had gone very well, exceeding even Lelouch's expectations. Every day, as her mind continued to repel the geass, she recovered bits of her memory. She was also steadily rebuilding and regaining the use of her muscles, at first through the paradoxically simple yet arduous task of moving her fingers and toes, and more recently through calisthenics. She was still unable to support herself on her own two legs, but she remained hopeful that one day she would be able to stand and perhaps even be able to swim laps around a pool like she used to.

As for her mind, she and Lelouch found it very important for her to maintain constant mental stimulation so she could further repress the geass. She kept her mind busy by reading, solving puzzles, going through old keepsakes to reawaken personal memories, and having conversations with Lelouch. Thanks to their efforts she now had most of her memories intact. She remembered all the key major events of her life as well as the knowledge of how to perform all voluntary body functions. There were still several minor memories that eluded her, but she remembered a little bit more every day and she and Lelouch couldn't have been happier with the miraculous recovery she had made.

It was a beautiful autumn day and Shirley was lying in her room curling up with a good book as she had often done over the past four months (it had taken two months before she remembered how to read). Currently she was reading _Pride and Prejudice_ and thankfully her reading of it had, so far, gone better than her reading of the _The Scarlet Letter_. About half way through reading the latter she had spontaneously remembered that she had already read it, effectively ruining the rest of the book for her. But no matter; it showed that her memories were returning and she was quite enjoying her new book.

There was a knock on the door.

She looked up from her book. "Come in Lulu."

Lelouch entered the room holding a tray that held two bowls of chicken fried rice and two glasses of milk; their lunch for the day. He made his way to the ever-present bedside chair.

"How do you like the book so far Shirley?"

"It's really good Lulu."

He sat down. "I trust you don't remember reading that book as well?"

She giggled. "No. Not yet anyway."

He placed the tray on her lap and then removed a bowl and glass for himself. He carefully placed them on the end table that sat next to his chair.

"Remember anything new today Shirley?"

Shirley's gradually reawakening memory was an exciting event for the both of them. With Shirley it was a very personal experience as she was the one making the recovery and the one having to do the remembering. She never knew exactly what she would remember or when she would remember it, but it always gave her a sense of joy and fulfillment when she rediscovered the lost pieces of herself. Sometimes she got discouraged when she went for long periods of time without recovering any memories, but inevitably they would come.

Lelouch himself was very enthused whenever Shirley regained a new memory. He would usually ask her two or three times a day if any new memories had come to her, and it was the part of the day he looked forward to the most. Having been so distant from her in the past, he was now able to discover everything about her that he had never gotten the chance to know before. It was quite a remarkable venture as they were practically starting from square one, and at any given time Lelouch knew just about as much as Shirley knew about herself. Sometimes Lelouch would even aid in her memory recovery by telling her things about herself that even she may not have been aware of. All in all, he loved his conversations with Shirley and oftentimes would even oblige himself by telling her some of his own life experiences.

He waited patiently as she cycled through her thoughts and she stirred the contents of her bowl.

"I remember a few things." She paused briefly. "I remember one time when I was seven years old and I fell off my bike and scraped my knee. I started to cry really hard, but then my father came and fixed me right up. He put a band-aid on, patted me on the head and I stopped crying."

Tears began to form in her eyes.

"He was always so kind to me."

Regrettably, Shirley had also remembered her father's fate and the man who had caused it. Lelouch looked down, ashamed.

"I'm sorry Shirley."

Shirley forced her tears back and smiled.

"It's okay Lulu."

When Shirley initially recovered the memories of her father's death and Lelouch's involvement in it, it was quite distressing for her, but thankfully she did not suffer a mental breakdown as she had before. She recovered said memories about a month after her initial breakthrough, before which Lelouch had been debating whether or not he should confess the situation to her, but Shirley remembered and approached the matter first. She told Lelouch that she knew he was Zero and that she knew what he had done to her father, and it was then that Lelouch revealed all his secrets to her. He told her about his life as a Britannian prince, his mother's murder, his quest for vengeance, his contract with C.C., and his role as the leader of the Black Knights. Having been told everything, she took some time to absorb the information and think things over, during which she was very distant from Lelouch. It was a very miserable time for Lelouch as he was faced with the possibility that Shirley might hate him forever, while at the same time knowing he probably deserved it if she did. But after a week's time Shirley had made her decision, and Lelouch was much relieved to hear that she had forgiven him. The feelings of guilt still plagued him, but he was happy that he could still maintain a happy relationship with her.

He lightened himself up and continued the conversation.

"Remember anything else Shirley?"

"Hmm, well I do remember one other thing, but I'm not sure if I should say it."

"Oh come on Shirley. Please tell me."

She gave a slight chuckle. "Well, I remember one time back at Ashford during the Spring Festival, and we were all taking part in the three-legged race. I was paired up with Nina and you with Pres."

Lelouch had a look of great unease on his face. "Oh yeah. I think I remember this now."

Shirley started to laugh as she spoke. "And when the race started Pres started running so fast, but you couldn't keep up and she was practically dragging you across the field by your ankle." She burst out in laughter.

Lelouch simply observed with mild disdain. "And just when I had fully repressed that memory."

She settled herself down. "Oh, I'm sorry Lulu."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you can still remember." They smiled at each other. "Well, we should probably eat before it gets cold." And so they commenced to enjoy their meal.

At this point Shirley had become quite adept at using utensils as well as most instruments in general. She daintily scooped a spoonful of rice and brought it up to, and placed it in, her mouth. Lelouch was quite happy with her progress, not only with her handling spoons and forks, but also with her ability to consume solid foods. It certainly was a far cry from her having applesauce be spoon-fed to her.

They continued with their meal, having casual conversation sometimes between bites. Shirley methodically picked out bits of chicken, rice and vegetable with her spoon and took the occasional swig of milk, consuming them without incident. Lelouch was pleased to see that she had finished the meal first, eating all the contents of the bowl, as well as the entire glass of milk, and not dropping a single grain of rice during the course. He finished shortly thereafter.

"That was good Lulu."

He gave a warm smile. "I'm glad you liked it Shirley." He took his empty bowl and glass and placed them on the tray on Shirley's lap. He promptly lifted the tray containing the empty dishes. "Well, I'll just take care of these now."

While he made his way to the door Shirley began to contemplate. It was something she had thought about for quite some time and the more she mulled it over the more clear the solution became. True, it would change many things and the results could potentially be disastrous, but she knew it had to be done. It was at that moment she made her decision and she said something Lelouch never would have expected her to say.

"Lelouch, we need to go back."

Lelouch came to a dead stop, tray still in hand. He turned to face her.

"What do you mean Shirley?"

"Lelouch, we've been alone in this cabin away from the world for so long. We've left everything else behind. We can't keep doing this."

He placed the tray on a nearby table.

"Shirley, you've been in a comatose state for five years, and it was all my fault. Somebody had to take care of you."

"And I'm grateful for that Lulu. But I'm better now. There's no reason for us to keep doing this."

He walked to his chair and sat down. "Shirley, our old lives are gone. Almost everyone we know thinks we're dead. How can we possibly go back after all these years?"

"What difference does it make Lulu?" Her voice became slightly more frantic. "What about your sister? What about my family? What about our friends, and the Black Knights, and your contract with C.C.?"

He paused and placed his hand on hers. "It's too late for that Shirley. What would we do? Just show up and expect to be taken back in? Besides, you're still recovering. You can't even walk yet."

There was a brief silence between them. Suddenly, Shirley removed her hand from Lelouch's grasp and lifted the sheets and blankets off her bed. Then she did something else Lelouch never would have expected from her. She moved her legs off the side of the bed and began to stand up. Lelouch immediately rose and stood in shock and awe.

"Sh…Shirley"

She was now standing firmly on both legs. She grunted as she strained her muscles and managed to take one step forward. She continued to push herself and managed to take two more steps as Lelouch looked on, not believing his own eyes. However, as Shirley prepared for her fourth step, she lost her footing and began to fall. Lelouch reacted immediately.

"Ah, Shirley!"

He rushed to her aid and caught her. They paused in motion, Lelouch being glad at having avoided such a close call, and Shirley being somewhat disappointed in herself for not getting farther. He lifted her up and carried her the short distance back to the bed. He sat her back down and he kneeled taking a minute to catch his breath. The incident had certainly startled him, but he had to admit that he was astounded that Shirley had been able to stand and walk. He thought of everything that had just transpired, from Shirley proposing going back to their old lives to her being able to use her legs, and he pondered what it meant for the two of them. She spoke once more.

"Lelouch, you said that you loved me. That's the whole reason I'm able to talk and move again. So I need to know Lulu. Is it true? Do you love me?"

He raised his head and looked into her eyes, and as he looked he saw many things. He saw the girl who he had taken care of for the past five and a half years. He saw the girl he had spent so many good times with at Ashford. He saw the girl who he had hurt so much, who had always been a joy to be around, who, for five and a half years, had been his sole reason for living, and who, just now, had given him another miracle. He spoke the words that he knew were just as true now as they ever were.

"Yes. I love you Shirley."

She smiled.

"Then let's go back. You and me."

It was then that Lelouch had a moment of clarity. He took a hard look at himself, at Shirley, and at room around him. He looked at the large white empty space that had remained unchanged for the last five and a half years and he made a shocking realization. This little world that he had made for himself and Shirley was not an island of peace and comfort, but a prison. A prison that had blocked him and Shirley away from the rest of the world. It was a prison that had kept them away from their friends and family and the reality of the world, locking them up in a dream land. Even worse, it was one that he had made and kept himself due to his own stubbornness. He knew then that his time had been served and now he and Shirley had to break free. His resolve was firm, but he made one last plea to Shirley.

"If we go back, we may find that we won't like how things have changed."

Her response was prompt and confident. "It's okay. Whatever we find when we go back we'll face it together."

She leaned forward and kissed him.

Very confident.

They gazed into each others eyes, their smiles bright with warmth and resolve. That day they both knew they would leave the cabin, but Shirley still needed some literal legwork. Lelouch thought it would be at least two more weeks before Shirley could leave the house, but she was ready to go after just one. Thus, a week after their resolve they left the old cabin and everything within behind, barring a few essentials and anything else they wished to carry with them. They bravely went out into the world that cool autumn day, not knowing what they would find, but still hoping to reclaim their old lives. They walked side by side, happy and confident, drawing strength and courage from one another and believing that there was no obstacle too great for them to overcome.

Unfortunately, what awaited them was far worse than anything they could imagine.

* * *

Author's Notes

Ooh, mysterious. Well, if you wanna know what happens you best be gettin' to readin' the next chapter =)


	3. The Meeting

**Chapter 3: The Meeting**

_Bee-da-bee-da-bee-da-bee-da Bee-da-bee-da-bee-da-bee-da_

_He answered the phone_

"_Hello."_

"_Hello…Suzaku?"_

"_Yes. Who is this?"_

"_It's me…Lelouch."_

"_L-Lelouch?"_

_A pause_

"_It's been a long time Suzaku."_

"_Lelouch, you've been gone for over five years. Why are you calling me now?"_

_They spoke slowly, enunciating every word._

"_I've decided to come back Suzaku."_

"_Come back? What do you mean?"_

"_I want to return to everything I've left behind Suzaku. I want to start over."_

_Another pause_

"_I see. So you've 'decided' that you can just call me up, stroll back into everyone's lives and then everything's just going to be okay?"_

"_Suzaku, I know this seems extraordinary…"_

"_You're damn right it's extraordinary! Do you have any idea what's happened in the five years since you've been gone?!"_

"…_Suzaku, I know I don't deserve to be able to come back after what I've done, but right now I just want to meet with you."_

"_And what makes you think I'd be willing to meet with you? You up and vanish, expect me to pick up after you, and then you come back and ask me for more favors?!"_

"_Suzaku, I understand what you must think of me. So if you won't do it for my sake, then do it for Shirley."_

"_Shirley? What happened to her?"_

"_Don't worry, she's fine. She's here with me and she'll be joining us at the meeting."_

"…_What exactly happened to her, Lelouch?"  
_

"_She's been in a comatose state for five years."_

Silence

"_Suzaku?"_

"…_Where are you right now?"_

"_I'm in Kurobe. Shirley and I are staying in a hotel."_

"…_Unbelievable," He muttered._

"_What?"_

"_Nothing. All right, we'll meet at 0800 tomorrow. Can you recommend a location? Preferably somewhere public, but not too crowded."_

_  
"There's a small café on Main Street at the intersection of Makino."_

"_All right, we'll meet there."_

"_Suzaku, just tell me this: is Nunnally still with you? Is she all right?"_

_No response_

"_I'll see you tomorrow Lelouch."_

_Click_

------

The duo had made their way to Kurobe eager and hopeful to restart their lives. They saw their arrival as the first step in their journey as they were finally surrounded by civilization. Having made their way into the city and finding suitable accommodations at a nearby hotel, they decided the most practical thing to do next would be to locate and contact their friends and family. However, with almost everyone believing them to be dead, they knew the idea of just calling or walking up to them would potentially be quite problematic. And even if they were to attempt something so direct, they couldn't know for sure the location or status of their loved ones. So they decided to contact the one person who knew Lelouch's secret.

Lelouch had still kept Suzaku's phone number even after so many years, and he only hoped that it would still work. He was quite delighted, but also nervous, when he found that the number still worked and he heard the voice of his old friend. The conversation itself had been less than pleasant for the two of them, but Lelouch was still glad to have it over and done with, and now he and Shirley could hopefully get some answers. They went to bed early that night, getting a full night's rest, and woke at 6:30 AM. They prepared themselves and left promptly at 7:30 AM.

"Ready to go, Shirley?"

She replied with a nod and an "mm-hmm." She grabbed her walking cane and they were on their way. Despite being able to leave their old house and return to the outside world, Shirley's legs had still not fully healed and she required a cane to help her walk. As they stepped outside the hotel, Lelouch noticed as Shirley walked with a limp, trailing just behind him. It pained him to see her in such a state.

"Are you sure you don't want to call a cab or take a bus there?" Lelouch asked.

She looked up and smiled. "No, it's okay Lulu. I'm fine." She continued to walk. "The exercise is good for my legs, and it's only a 15 minute walk, right? I'll be fine."

Lelouch smiled and gave a few last words of reassurance. "Well, if it gets to be too much for you, just say the word and I'll carry you the rest of the way."

"Oh, like you could carry me," she cheekily replied.

He chuckled. "Well, you may have a point."

They were quiet for a few moments as they began their walk. Shirley's limp persisted, but she maintained a steady pace. Lelouch slowed himself down somewhat so as not to get ahead of her. Lelouch spoke again.

"It'll be nice to see Suzaku again, won't it?"

"Mm-hmm, it's been a long time. I hope he's doing well."

There was silence for a moment and Shirley's expression changed from cheerful to stern.

"Lelouch. Do you still consider Suzaku your friend?"

He thought for a second, and replied truthfully. "Yes, of course I do. He's done so much for me over the years and…well, the fact that he's the first person I'm going to see after all these years is proof enough."

"Then do you think you should tell him about…you know."

Lelouch glanced down in thought. He knew exactly what she meant.

"I don't think there's any need for that. I can't see how it would be beneficial for any of us."

"But he's your friend. Don't you think you should be honest with him?"

"Friendship can be broken Shirley, and it's not something I really want to lose right now."

"But if you told him the whole truth maybe he'll understand. After all, you told me the truth and I forgave you."

He gave a slight smile. "Well, unfortunately not everyone's as kind and forgiving as you, Shirley. Anyway, I don't see how it would be practical to tell him about it. And besides, that's all in the past."

He took a moment to soak in the words he was about to say. He looked up to the sky.

"I'm not Zero anymore."

They were silent the rest of the way. They walked steadily, maintaining their synchronized pace.

As expected, they arrived at the café at 7:45, 15 minutes before their arranged meeting. But when they arrived they saw that Suzaku was already there. He was waiting outside on the café's patio, sitting at a table for four. They didn't immediately recognize him, however, as he was wearing a pair of sunglasses and had donned the hood of his jacket. But once they got a good look at him and saw that he was acknowledging them, they knew it was him. They made their way to the table and the meeting began.

Lelouch spoke first, "Hi Suzaku. Hope we didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all. It's been a long time Lelouch." He turned to face Shirley. "Shirley, I'm happy to see that you're doing well."

"It's so good to see you again Suzaku," she happily replied.

Suzaku nodded. "I hope you'll forgive my appearance, but it's very important that I stay hidden."

"It's all right Suzaku, we understand," Lelouch said.

Shirley glanced curiously at Lelouch in regard to his statement. Lelouch seemed confident in his understanding, but truthfully, Shirley had no idea why Suzaku would have to disguise himself. But Lelouch's next statement began to make it clear to her.

"So, am I correct to assume that the Black Knights have succeeded in liberating Japan?"

Shirley's and Suzaku's eyes went wide with shock. Shirley could hardly believe what Lelouch had just said. Could it really be true? To think that the Britannian Empire could lose its rule over Area 11, and that the Japanese had reclaimed their nation. Shirley was stupefied. Suzaku, however, was surprised for a different reason.

"What are you talking about? Of course they have."

Suzaku's confirmation of the claims only served to surprise Shirley even more. She simply sat and tried to soak it all in. Suzaku continued.

"How could you not…" Then the realization dawned on him. "Are you saying that since you've been gone you've isolated yourself to the point that you have no idea what's been going on in the world?"

Lelouch went silent making a face that signified his sorrow and regret. It was true. When Lelouch had abandoned his old life he truly had abandoned everything, including the outside world. After he geassed Shirley he wandered from place to place, looking for somewhere, anywhere, he could hide with her. After traveling far enough, he came across a small abandoned cabin in the Hida Mountain Region. Upon finding it he knew that it would be the place that he and Shirley would start their new "life" together.

It was a lonely little cottage, completely isolated and miles away from any civilization, which suited Lelouch quite well. This cozy little home was indeed the embodiment of Lelouch's own private little world. A world where he would pay no heed to the bigger outside world, nor to any of his loved ones, save Shirley of course. Even during the few times he went into town he did his best to avoid any exposure to the news or media. He averted his eyes from the newsstands and magazine racks. Naturally, there was no radio or television in the cabin either. He had no intention of following any world events. He knew the impact he had made on the world, and to what level he was involved, and he couldn't bear possibly reading a headline that stated, "Black Knights All But Obliterated; The Britannian Empire Stands Tall!" He didn't want to know

But this. This was far beyond anything he expected. He wasn't even sure if he himself could have liberated Japan, much less the Black Knights without his aid. But upon his and Shirley's return to civilization, as he glanced at the newspaper covers in the local stores, it became all the more evident to him. And now with his old friend Suzaku sitting there, confirming his suspicions, he was truly astounded. He remained silent as Suzaku remained flabbergasted.

"I see. I'm disappointed in you Lelouch."

Lelouch and Shirley stayed silent, partly so because they were still letting it all soak in, and partly because they were too ashamed to speak.

"Well, despite all that, I suppose you should know what's been going on in the world."

Lelouch and Shirley stayed silent and listened intently.

"So to start off: Yes, Japan has been liberated and I must remain hidden like this because I'm still a Britannian soldier and, thusly, an enemy of Japan. You see, after you two disappeared the Black Knights continued their battle against Britannia for quite some time, but it was during the summer of 2017 that two major events took place. The first was Princess Euphemia's declaration and formation of the Special Administration Zone. This was to be an area where Elevens would be given special rights and be treated as Japanese citizens."

Lelouch, while surprised, was more inquisitive and contemplative at the moment. True, he hadn't expected Euphemia to open a Special Administration Zone, but at this point he was prepared to hear anything as he simply wished to absorb and process the information of the events that he had missed over the past five years. As Zero, he himself had considered the possibility of an SAZ-like institution, but he believed any such endeavor would be futile in the long run. Suzaku continued.

"And the second was the disappearance of the Black Knights' leader Zero."

Now this piece of information truly intrigued him. He had often wondered how the Black Knights would react to his disappearance. He had considered the possibility that they would acknowledge and announce his disappearance to the world or perhaps they would find another "Zero" to take his place. But apparently they had gone with the former. He prodded Suzaku for more information.

"Zero disappeared?"

Suzaku nodded.

"Zero had actually been missing for a few months before then, but it wasn't until the summer of '17 that the Black Knights officially announced it. Incidentally, with the completion of the SAZ, Euphemia sought the Black Knights approval of the institution as well as for peace terms to be made. It was shortly after this that the Black Knights officially announced the disappearance of Zero and, in a way, they used it to their advantage so they could abstain from making any official standpoint on the SAZ's existence, claiming they could not make one until they had reorganized and elected a new commander."

Of course Lelouch knew he would have done things differently, but he believed the Black Knights' decision to be, considering the circumstances, sound and reasonable. Indeed, it would have left the Black Knights in a no-win position in which if they had agreed to the establishment of the SAZ it would have ended their crusade against Britannia and if they rejected it they would have been viewed as mere terrorists. Lelouch most-likely would have had to sabotage the SAZ, perhaps geassing Euphie into attacking him, or something to that effect. But it was neither here nor there. The Black Knights were still active and Japan had been reclaimed somehow.

"I see. So what happened then?" Lelouch asked. "Did the SAZ last? Did the Black Knights ever establish a new leader?"

Suzaku was silent for a moment and then, oddly enough, he answered the second question first.

"The Black Knights elected Kyoshiro Tohdoh as their new leader. A former JLF commander and my old sensei."

Lelouch considered Tohdoh to be a worthy choice. As a seasoned veteran from the war between Britannia and Japan, as well as a high-ranking officer from the JLF, he certainly had enough experience to lead the Black Knights. His only complaint would be Tohdoh's archaic war and political tactics as opposed to Lelouch's revolutionary new methods. But, overall, he was still probably the best man for the job.

"As for the SAZ, things had seemed to be going well for it, and with the election of Tohdoh as the Black Knight's leader Euphemia had hoped that Britannia and Area 11 could finally reach a peaceful resolution. However, it was too little too late. Shortly after Tohdoh was elected, a group of Britannian activists led a full scale assault on the SAZ, effectively destroying it. Thousands of people lost their lives that day…"

Suzaku began to tremble.

"… including Princess Euphemia."

Lelouch flinched in shock. He knew the SAZ was most likely doomed to fail, but he would never have expected this. He couldn't believe that his beloved half-sister was dead.

"What? Euphemia's dead?" Lelouch said, with feelings of terror and grief overwhelming his voice.

Underneath his sunglasses, Suzaku wore an expression of regret and sadness.

"Yes. I'm sorry Lelouch."

Suzaku grew tense as he remembered the fateful day that Euphemia had been taken from him – taken from the world. Meanwhile, Lelouch tried to cope with this harsh new reality. He had anticipated and prepared himself for the possibility of death of one of his loved ones, but preparing for it and actually experiencing it, as he discovered, were two entirely different things. He didn't want to believe it, but it was true. Euphemia was dead. Seeing his obvious distress, Shirley reached her arm out and attempted to console him.

"Lelouch."

She laid her arm on his and shortly thereafter Lelouch recomposed himself. He could grieve later. Right now he couldn't afford to waste Suzaku's, Shirley's, or his own time.

"I'm fine." He turned his attention back to his old friend. "Go on Suzaku."

Suzaku also recomposed himself and continued.

"After the attack on the SAZ, which would become known as the SAZ Massacre, conflict between the Black Knights and Britannia grew even worse. The Black Knights and the Elevens only saw this as further proof that peace between Britannia and Area 11 could never be reached. Tensions mounted, but the Black Knights bided their time until they launched a major assault. On January 20, 2018, about half a year after the SAZ Massacre, the Black Knights attempted a coup on the Tokyo Settlement. This incident came to be known as the Black Rebellion."

This information was quite a surprise to Lelouch. Before his departure he had been in the planning stages of the Black Rebellion, but he never thought it would come to fruition after his disappearance. He wondered exactly how the Black Knights were able to enact his plan. He presumed that, after his disappearance, the Black Knights came across his plans, built upon them, and staged their own rebellion from there. Naturally, it would take longer for the operation to take place, what with their leader gone and the inherent disorganization and loss of strategic ability that came with it. He continued to think as he listened to Suzaku.

"Many people on both sides lost their lives that day, but ultimately the coup was unsuccessful. The Black Knights retreated, but still remained active and continued to fight against Britannia. For a while hostilities decreased and it seemed like the Black Knights might eventually degrade and die out. However, exactly one year to the date of the Black Rebellion, the Black Knights launched another coup against the Tokyo Settlement. This was the day the Black Knights took over Japan. It was called Operation: Blackest Night."

This was certainly the most intriguing piece of information yet. The name of the operation itself had a very distinctive ring to it. To Lelouch it seemed to signify finality and forebodement; a title very suiting for the Black Knights. He eagerly awaited further explanation.

"I myself took part in the battle and I remember it vividly. As bad as the Black Rebellion was, it was nothing compared to this. It was the bloodiest and most fearsome battle I'd ever been a part of. Living up to the nocturnal nature of its name, the operation began at 2100 hours and lasted until daybreak. Each side gave everything they had, fighting full force, effectively making Tokyo a torrid warzone strewn with carnage and death. The death toll for both Britannian and Japanese soldiers and civilians was catastrophic. In the end though, the Black Knights were victorious. The Britannian occupation was overthrown, and Japan was liberated."

It was quite hard to believe. Had the Black Knights really done it? Had they really succeeded in freeing Japan without Zero's help? It would seem so. But how? Was Tohdoh really that capable of a leader? Or perhaps Lelouch had given himself too much credit and the power to liberate Japan had not exclusively belonged to him. Or maybe his spirit had carried the will of the Black Knights even in his absence. Could it have just been a moment of weakness for Britannia that the Black Knights had the good fortune act upon? Or, further still, could there be some information that Suzaku was withholding from them?

And what of all this death that Suzaku was talking about? All the lives that were lost during the conflict. How many Black Knights and civilians were sacrificed? What about Kallen? What about Rivalz and Milly and Nina. And, of course, what about Nunnally? Were they okay?

Whatever the case, Suzaku had said his piece. There was silence for a few moments and Suzaku didn't seem to be volunteering any more information, perhaps because he was giving the two a chance to soak it all in. Lelouch prodded him.

"I see. So what now of the Black Knights and Britannia?"

"The Black Knights are effectively Japan's primary military force as well as leading political party. Thus Kyoshiro Tohdoh is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the prime minister."

Lelouch paused for a while and took some time to digest all the information that had been given to him. Having remained silent for some time, Shirley broke in with the next question.

"I don't understand Suzaku. If Japan is free now then why are you still fighting for Britannia?"

Lelouch himself was a bit curious, but he had a pretty good idea of the answer. Suzaku replied.

"There are three reasons."

As he spoke he lifted his hand and then raised his index finger as he began to list them off.

"One, as a Britannian soldier I fought against the Black Knights to the very end, even during Blackest Night. Thus, most of Japan, and certainly the Black Knights, consider me a traitor."

He raised a second finger.

"Two, I do not acknowledge or accept the Japan that the Black Knights have established and rule over."

He raised a third finger.

"And three, I still believe Britannia is a flawed government that must be changed. Therefore, I will continue to work at fixing its corrupt policies from the inside to try to prevent more harm from being done."

Suzaku put his fingers and arm down while Shirley gave a look of mild sadness, but also understanding. Lelouch smiled and responded cheekily.

"You're still riding that scooter, eh Suzaku?"

Suzaku replied with a stern look on his face. "Think of me what you will, but I am going to change Britannia, one way or another."

Lelouch, feeling somewhat guilty about his light mockery of his friend's goals, relinquished his snarky smile. He then asked a question that had been pressing his mind for some time.

"What about Nunnally? Is she still with you Suzaku?"

Suzaku paused, lightly exhaling, with a grim a look on his face, and answered.

"I'm sorry Lelouch, but she was kidnapped during the Black Rebellion."

Lelouch and Shirley's eyes went wide.

"What?!" Lelouch said.

Suzaku continued, "She was taken hostage by the Black Knights."

The intensity of the situation soaked in as Lelouch began to sweat and go through mental gyrations. His dear little sister, the only family he truly had left in this world, taken by the very military force he had created. Why? They must have found out she was a princess. Poor little Nunnally, kidnapped by that swarm of Brittanian-haters. They couldn't really kidnap a crippled blind girl could they? Certainly they couldn't have killed her. Yes they could. Yes they could. And it had happened under Suzaku's watch.

Despite Lelouch's frustration, he tried to maintain a degree of composure and calm in his voice.

"You were supposed to protect her Suzaku. What the hell happened? Why didn't you save her?"

"I'm sorry Lelouch. I tried to rescue her. I even told the Emperor himself that Nunnally was alive and that she had been kidnapped, but he stated that we were not to go after her. Since she was never seen after she'd been kidnapped he claimed that there was no guarantee that she was alive and that her fate was inconsequential anyway."

Lelouch didn't speak. That bastard father of his. He never gave a damn about him or Nunnally. What kind of plan was that Black Knights? Kidnap the daughter of an emperor that doesn't care about his own children? And after she yielded no results they'd just execute her and dispose of her like trash, isn't that right? After all, that's what he'd taught them. "Those with power, fear us." Britannia must be destroyed.

Suzaku continued.

"Her fate has never been confirmed, but it's been over four years now, Lelouch. It doesn't look too hopeful."

Lelouch leaned on his hand, covering half his face. There were no thoughts, no words. A tear escaped from his eye. Shirley looked at him, saddened, her own thoughts turning to poor Nunnally and how horrible it must have been for her, and how horrible it must be for Lelouch right now. Suzaku continued.

"My advice to you, Lelouch, is to try to move on. Try to get over what happened to Nunnally and start a new life, preferably somewhere away from Japan. Ever since the Black Knights took over the Japanese haven't looked kindly upon Britannians."

It was true. Lelouch himself had noticed an odd change of behavior of the Japanese people over the five years, even with his limited interaction with the outside world. About two or three years after moving into the cabin he couldn't help but notice that every time he went into town he would get the occasional cold stare or mean look from the Japanese civilians. He usually just passed it off as coincidence or perhaps chalked it up to something he may have inadvertently done to offend them. Not that it mattered, what with his isolated lifestyle. But in the last few days, as Lelouch and Shirley had made their way to Kurobe, the hostility of the Japanese people became more and more apparent. As they were traveling across the country they still received the occasional cold stares, but at one point Lelouch was seemingly tripped by a Japanese man who was walking the opposite way as him. Shirley insisted that it was just an accident and Lelouch went along with her optimistic assumption, despite that he didn't really believe it. Even as they were making accommodations at the hotel the night before, Lelouch noticed that, while a Japanese couple that had come before them had been given a room after approximately two minutes at the front desk, Lelouch and Shirley had been held for 15 minutes. Lelouch suspected that had Shirley not given them the sympathy factor of her having to walk with a cane they wouldn't have gotten a room at all that night. To Lelouch, it was all too obvious that the Japanese didn't look favorably upon them.

Well, you could hardly blame them. After all, having been persecuted by the Britannian occupation for so many years; having their rights, freedoms and identity as a nation taken away, and with them most likely now at war with the Britannian Empire, it was only natural that they would despise them.

Lelouch was still silent as he mulled over the information and tried to come to grips with the fate of his sister. Shirley started with her own question.

"What about my mother Suzaku? Where is she now? And what about our friends?"

Suzaku turned his head down and went silent. He was deeply lost in thought, seemingly contemplating the question as if he really didn't want to answer it. It was his longest bout of silence yet. Finally, he unsheathed a pen and a slip of paper.

"Here, I'm going to give you Rivalz's address." He began writing. "He's working at an insurance company now or some such thing. He'll tell you everything you need to know." He finished writing and handed the paper to Shirley. She looked at the paper and then at him, eyes wide with confusion at his reluctance to tell her anything. "I'm sorry Shirley, but I've overstayed my welcome here…" (Not that he was welcome in the first place). "…and quite frankly I don't feel obligated to tell you anything more."

She was still confused by Suzaku's behavior and she was almost hurt by his words. "…Suzaku."

"It's okay Shirley," Lelouch interrupted. "We understand, Suzaku." He broke out of his contemplation and looked into the eyes of his old friend. Suzaku looked back at him.

"Is there anything else you need to know?" Suzaku asked.

"No, we're fine," Lelouch said. "We'll find the rest out from Rivalz. You said yourself that it's dangerous for you to be here, so we won't keep you any longer. Thank you Suzaku."

Lelouch smiled. Suzaku did not smile back.

"Good. Then I suppose I'll take my leave then. It was good seeing you two again." Suzaku rose from his seat and Lelouch and Shirley followed suit.

"It was good to see you too Suzaku," said Lelouch. "I'm very sorry to have inconvenienced you like this."

"Think nothing of it." Suzaku turned to face Shirley. She had a sad look in her eyes and almost began to cry.

"I was so happy to see you again Suzaku," she said. "I hope we can meet again some day."

Suzaku smiled. "I'm sure we will."

After that, they took their leave of the café. They walked out and said their last goodbyes, leaving in opposite directions; Lelouch and Shirley going back to the hotel and Suzaku going back to Britannia. As they walked back Shirley noticed that Lelouch, to say the least, seemed a bit down from the news he'd been given during their meeting. She offered him some words of consolation.

"I'm sorry about Nunnally and your sister…Princess Euphemia, right?" Almost immediately she felt a sense of embarrassment and guilt at her hesitance to remember the name of Lelouch's sister. She tried to offer a quick explanation. "I'm sorry. It's still hard for me to imagine you as a prince, Lelouch."

"It's all right," he replied. "I had prepared myself for the possibility that something like this might happen, but…it still is quite a shock." Shirley gave a look of concern, which he noticed. "I'm okay though," he said, trying to make her feel better.

There was a moment of silence between them. They steadily walked back, Shirley with her cane and Lelouch by her side. Shirley broke the silence.

"I still think you should have told Suzaku."

"What, about me being Zero?" He knew that was exactly what she meant. "Well, to be quite honest, I think he may already suspect that I'm Zero. I mean, I run off under mysterious circumstances and then Zero disappears shortly thereafter. It's not hard to make a connection."

He paused for a moment.

"Well, if he did figure it out it was very kind of him to not bring it up. I suppose he really is a true friend."

Shirley smiled and Lelouch smiled with her. They made their way back to hotel, making occasional conversation along the way. After arriving they took some time to relax and recuperate from their small trip and made their plans for the next stage in their adventure.

------

Suzaku pulled out his cell phone. He dialed the number. It rang. An answer.

…

"It's me."

…

"Yes, it went well. No problems to speak of."

…

"I'm actually surprised at how docile he's become. It seems that five years of inaction has dulled his mind and his initiative."

…

"No, I don't expect him to be a factor in the future. His wings have been clipped. He doesn't have the power he once had."

He looked to the sky.

"After all, he's not Zero anymore."

* * *

Author's Notes

Dun Dun Duuuuuuuuunnn! Ooh, so Suzaku does know that Lelouch is Zero. Also, a lot of other info was revealed in this chapter. So what do you all think? Do you think I'm handling all the characters well? Am I being true to their characters and giving them adequate attention? Well, so far we've only dealt with three, but of course we're going to have more in the future.

Anyway, as far as updating I'm not making any promises. I'm a lazy fanfic author as it is and with school coming up I'm only going to be even busier in the weeks to come. Still, it's not my intention to abandon this fanfiction (not anytime soon anyway) and although this is probably going to be a long fanfic there will probably be long waits between chapters. Just letting you all know.

So, until the next chapter arrives stay frosty and remember to keep the Code Geass fandom alive!


	4. Parting

Author's Intro

All right, apology time. I'm really, really, REALLY sorry that I haven't updated in so long, especially when I'm so early into the story. But what can I say? I could say I've been hella busy with school and work and other various happenings, but that would just sound like an excuse. Oh, and you know what the worst part is? This isn't even the full chapter! Nope, this is just part 1 of it. I wanted to wait until I got the whole thing done, but I'm still far away from finishing it. So finally I figured that I owe you guys at least a little something since it's been so long since my last update. So yeah, over half a year and not much to show for it. In the words of Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, "Eh, sad but true." (Seriously, go and see that movie if you haven't yet).

Well anyway, I deeply appreciate your patience and for all my loyal readers that have stuck with me for the long haul. Seriously, you guys are the best. So without further ado, here's part 1 of chapter 4.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Parting**

It had been two days since Lelouch and Shirley's meeting with Suzaku. After returning to the hotel, they had decided that the best course of action would be to go to the address Suzaku had given to them and meet up with Rivalz. They stayed at the hotel until about noon and then checked out. They went ahead to the train station, stopping only for a quick lunch along the way, and departed on the train that would take them to Rivalz's address, which just so happened to be in Tokyo.

Lelouch and Shirley naturally sat next to each other the whole way, occasionally carrying on conversation over the following two days. They talked about Suzaku, Japan's liberation, Nunnally, Shirley's mother, the Student Council, and what might come of their meeting with Rivalz. Of course they were careful not to bring up anything that might give away Lelouch's identity as a Britannian prince or his former identity of Zero on the off chance they were overheard by one of their fellow passengers.

Right now they were in the final stretch of their journey as the train came to its next stop. After the passengers had been let out the conductor announced, "Next stop, Tokyo Metro Center."

Shirley perked up, "Well, our stop is up next Lulu. You ready?"

He glanced over to her and smiled, "As I'll ever be."

As the train went back into motion, Shirley looked out the window to get a good look at the city she was all too familiar with. However, she noticed that many landmarks had changed and the city looked quite different from how she remembered. "Wow, Tokyo sure has changed, hasn't it Lelouch?"

Lelouch looked outside and he saw that she was right. "Yeah, it has. There must have been a lot of reconstruction done after Blackest Night."

Shirley's bright smile slowly faded into and turned sad as she thought about all the people that must have died that day and how drastically it must have changed the city and its people.

"Yeah. I wonder what else has changed," she said. "I wonder how it affected Rivalz and Milly and Nina and the others. I hope they're all okay."

Lelouch noticed her sad tone and held her hand. "Well, whatever's happened while we were gone, we'll find out soon enough. And I'm sure everything will work out." He smiled. She smiled back.

As the train continued on its way, they looked out the window to see all the changes that had been made to the urban metropolis. There were a lot of new buildings that looked more modern and fancier than the ones they remembered and the city looked much more busy and industrious, but the overall layout was still basically the same. They took notice of and commented on the various locations until, finally, they reached their stop.

The train decelerated as it pulled into the station and the conductor announced, "Tokyo Metro Center."

The train came to a halt. The doors slid open and the passengers rose and began to exit the train. Lelouch too rose from his seat. "All right, let's go Shirley."

He offered his hand to her and she happily accepted it. They made their way off the train, carrying whatever few belongings they had. They walked through the threshold of the electric sliding doors, made their first steps onto the platform, and they were officially back in Tokyo.

For a few seconds they simply stood and took it all in. They watched the hustle and bustle of the hundreds of people traveling about the train station. They looked at the city skylines from the windows and soaked in the familiarity of the industrious city.

"Ah, it feels so good to be back in Tokyo, Lulu."

Lelouch smiled as he surveyed the bustling metropolis and he was filled with a genuine sense of satisfaction and nostalgia. "Yeah, it really does."

He thought back to all the times, both good and bad, that he had had in the familiar city. As he thought about it, he realized that being back in Tokyo truly was a breath of fresh air compared to the life of isolation he had been living for so long.

"Hard to believe it's been five years," he said. He turned to Shirley. "I guess to you it doesn't seem that long though, right?"

Naturally, he was referring to the fact that Shirley had been unconscious for most of the five years they'd been away. Shirley thought about his words and, while there was some truth to what he said, it still seemed to her that she had been away from the city for a very long time.

"It's been long enough," she said. Having soaked in the atmosphere of the busy train station quite sufficiently, Shirley decided it was best to start moving. "Well, let's go Lulu."

She started to walk, but almost immediately she was stopped by Lelouch as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Shirley…I'm afraid I won't be able to go."

Quite taken aback by his words, she turned to face him. "What do you mean Lelouch?"

"I'm sorry Shirley, but I can't go with you to meet up with Rivalz."

His words almost felt like a slap in the face. She had been very much looking forward to seeing Rivalz and had completely expected Lelouch to be there with her. "What are you saying Lelouch? Why not? We've come so far and traveled all this way together." Her tone became more and more exasperated as she spoke, but she knew she couldn't speak to loud for fear of making a scene in a public place. "How can you just back out now?"

"I'm not backing out, Shirley." His words were quick and harsh, as if he were defending himself. Shirley gave a barely audible gasp, a bit startled by his words. Lelouch paused briefly and the calm returned to his voice. "I've been thinking about this for a while, ever since our meeting with Suzaku, and I've made my decision. I'm going to find Nunnally."

Shirley was quiet for a moment. She understood how Lelouch felt about Nunnally and how badly he must want to see her again, but she still felt uneasy about it. "Lelouch…I can imagine how you must feel…but do you really have to leave right now? You don't have to go rushing into this. We can talk about it. Maybe we can find out some other way to…"

"You said yourself that we need to face our past Shirley," he interrupted. "Nunnally is the only family I have left. I need to know if she's alive and I need to know now."

She was still unconvinced. "I don't understand Lulu. We've come all this way already. Rivalz is right nearby here. We can both go and see him together. Wouldn't you at least like to see him and the others before you do something major like this?"

"I'd like that Shirley, but unfortunately this can't wait. The longer I wait the more attached to me you'll get and the more likely I'll lose my resolve. Also, I need to do this while my presence is still fairly unknown."

She could see the reasoning behind his decision, but she still didn't want him to go. "Why did you wait to tell me now, Lelouch? Couldn't you have at least told me you were considering it?"

"I'm sorry Shirley, but I didn't want you to worry. I knew that if you knew about it you'd do everything to try to convince me to stay, but I am sorry for keeping the truth from you."

"But why would you go all this way with me if you were planning on leaving, when we're so close?"

"Actually, this stop works as a good parting point for us. You'll go see Rivalz, but this stop is just a transfer point for me. I'm getting on the red line which will take me to the Black Knight's Headquarters." They were both silent. Shirley didn't know what to say and Lelouch could see the sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry Shirley, but I need to do this."

She could see there was no hope in changing his mind, and deep down she did know that he had to do it. "Okay. I understand, Lelouch. Just promise me you'll be careful, all right?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "I will." He felt a tinge of regret as he noticed Shirley still leaning on her cane. "I'm sorry to leave you alone in your condition, but I'm sure you'll make it to Rivalz okay, right?"

She thought for a moment, glancing down at her cane, but she gave a firm and positive response. "Yes. I'll be fine Lelouch."

"Good. Thank you for understanding, Shirley." As he finished speaking, the red line train pulled into the station. "Well, that's my train. I better get going." The train came to a complete stop. The doors opened allowing the waves of passengers to exit and enter. There were no words between Lelouch and Shirley as he made his way onto the train. He stood just beyond the threshold of the doors and turned back to her. "Take care of yourself Shirley."

The way he said it, it sounded to Shirley as if it would be the last time they would ever see each other. She cried out as Lelouch stood inside the train. "I love you Lulu!"

He smiled. "I know."

The doors sealed shut. The train went into motion, accelerating, and soon enough vanishing into the dark tunnel. And with that, Shirley was on her own.

* * *

Author's Notes

So there you have it. I know it's not very long, but hopefully it will tide you all over until I get the whole thing done. Again, really sorry about this, but I hope it won't stop you all from reading. Anyway, any and all reviews and story alerts and the like would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch! Take care =)


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